Methods for maintaining hepatocytes in culture and for differentiating embryonic stem cells along a hepatocyte lineage

摘要

The invention provides methods and media for culturing embryonic stem (ES) cells, such as human ES cells, and directing them along the hepatic lineage. It further provides methods for maintaining hepatocytes in culture for extended periods. The invention further provides cells cultured by the methods of the invention. Additionally, the invention provides methods of transducing cells with marker proteins that will be expressed only in hepatocyte-like cells and selecting for cells expressing the marker protein.